Topic: Healing

Pastor Wes reflects on the story of the unnamed woman who suffered for 12 years, reaching out in desperation to touch Jesus’ robe. He connects her struggle to our own experiences of pain—physical, emotional, and spiritual—urging us to let her story meet our own. Rather than explaining suffering through simplistic answers like karma, destiny, or the devil, Jesus responds with presence and love, affirming the woman’s faith and calling her “daughter.” The sermon invites us to recognize God’s nearness in our struggles and to reach out in faith, knowing we are seen, loved, and restored.

Pastor Wes reflects on Acts 3:1-10, where Peter and John encounter a man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. Pastor Wes notes that while archaeologists have identified several gates, the exact location of the Beautiful Gate remains uncertain. This uncertainty, he suggests, invites us to recognize that any doorway can be a “beautiful gate” or a “portal of faith.”

He emphasizes the importance of being present and attentive to those we encounter, as Peter and John were to the beggar. By making eye contact and offering genuine attention, we can transform ordinary interactions into opportunities for connection and healing. Pastor Wes challenges the congregation to consider how they can be “portals of faith” in their daily lives, embodying the core values of welcome, worship, justice, faithfulness, caring, and belonging.